The company, according to Ravi Thakran, regional general manager-south Asia, Swatch Group, Singapore, will work closely with the Indian film directors, actors and artistes to develop new product concepts and creative campaigns for the Swatch brand. Thakran was not willing to divulge more details about the project.

Swatch, it may be recalled, announced its entry on Wednesday into India through the promotion of its brand in PBDHH, the maiden production of Dreamz Unlimited-an entertainment venture floated by Shah Rukh Khan, Juhi Chawla and Aziz Mirza. Despite the excitement around the film's promotion in Delhi and Mumbai, Swatch's entry into India is being dubbed a `soft launch' as the Swiss watch major's distribution network is not in place. According to the company, the brand will make a full-fledged entry into the country only in September 2000.

The company will unleash its international ad campaign-both in electronic and print media-around the same time. Immediately, however, Swatch will begin brand-building with some unconventional marketing initiatives. For instance, the company is going to aggressively cash in on the Valentine's Day to promote its Rose Swatch watch, which is also promoted in PBDHH.

Priced at Rs 1,450 and above, Swatch watches are targeted at the youth and the fashion conscious women and men in their 30s and 40s. The brand hopes to sell over a million watches annually and emerge as a leader in the price segment.

On a screen near you
The Swatch Group has tied up with the Delhi-based PVR group for distribution of its Swatch watches. In Delhi, for instance, the PVR Priya theatre, a happening place in the city, will host one of the two exclusive Swatch showrooms in the metro. ``PVR will handle distribution of Swatch watches wherever they open a cineplex,'' said Ravi Thakran, regional general manager-south Asia, Swatch Group, Singapore.

The distribution strategy, according to Stephen Ritzmann, brand manager, Swatch, will be focused top-down. Starting with the two metros-Delhi and Mumbai -- Swatch will open at least two exclusive outlets in each, then target all the top metros and finally, extend reach to the smaller towns. Besides exclusive Swatch outlets, the Swiss major plans to make its brand available at have over 100 retail outlets across the country over the next four to five years.